Ezra and Sylvaine moved through the forest under the cloak of night, the Ruined Keep looming in the distance like the skeletal remains of some long-forgotten war.
A storm was brewing in the skies above. Dark clouds gathered, lightning flickering like the rage within him.
Ezra relished the hunt.
But this wasn't just any battle.
This was a declaration of war.
---
Scouting the Prey
From the shadows of the treeline, they observed the keep.
Walls crumbling, but still fortified. Watchtowers manned by archers. The entrance was guarded by heavily armed mercenaries, and a dozen more patrolled the grounds.
Sylvaine smirked. "Blackthorne doesn't play around. You sure you don't want to sneak in?"
Ezra cracked his knuckles. "Why would I hide?"
Sylvaine rolled her eyes. "Of course. Straight through the front door, then."
Ezra grinned.
Tonight, the Blackthorne Syndicate would learn what fear really meant.
---
Unleashing the Predator
Ezra didn't waste time.
He rushed the front gate at inhuman speed, claws gleaming under the moonlight.
The guards barely had time to react.
"WHAT THE—"
SLASH!
Ezra ripped through the first mercenary's throat, blood spraying the stone walls.
A second tried to draw his blade—Ezra tore his arm off before he could.
Panic spread like wildfire.
"IT'S HIM!"
"THE NIGHT HUNTER!"
Too late.
Ezra lunged into the ranks, a whirlwind of claws and teeth.
- A sword came for his ribs—he ducked, countered with a brutal swipe that split the man open.
- A spear thrust aimed for his heart—Ezra caught the shaft, snapped it, and drove the broken end into the wielder's gut.
- A coward tried to flee—Ezra pounced, dragging him down like a wolf devouring prey.
Every kill sent a surge of power through him.
[Apex Predator Bonus: Absorbing Strength]
- Physical stats increasing with every fallen foe.
The archers on the watchtower shouted.
"FIRE! KILL HIM!"
Arrows rained down.
Ezra moved before they could reach him.
With inhuman agility, he leapt onto the stone wall, claws sinking into the cracks.
In seconds, he was on the tower.
The first archer barely had time to scream before Ezra crushed his skull against the battlements.
The second fell moments later—his body hurled off the tower, landing with a sickening crunch.
Ezra turned his gaze to the rest of the keep.
Only a handful of enemies remained.
And inside, the true prey awaited.
---
The Warlord of Blackthorne
A heavy iron door swung open.
From within the keep, a lone figure emerged.
A towering man, clad in black armor engraved with runes, stepped into the moonlight.
His presence was suffocating—powerful, controlled, deadly.
In his hand, he wielded a massive executioner's blade, its edge glowing with dark enchantments.
Ezra's grin widened. Finally. A challenge.
The man's voice was cold, ruthless.
"So you're the beast that's been making trouble."
Ezra licked the blood off his claws. "And you're the fool who thinks he can stop me."
The warlord chuckled darkly. "Let's find out."
---
Clash of Titans
A gust of wind howled through the ruined keep, carrying the scent of blood, steel, and death.
Ezra stood atop a pile of corpses, his crimson eyes locked onto the warlord before him.
The man exuded a chilling aura of confidence.
He was different.
Unlike the others, he wasn't afraid.
Ezra grinned, his claws flexing. "Finally, someone who won't die in seconds."
The warlord rested his enormous, rune-etched blade on his shoulder. "Amuse me, monster."
---
The First Strike
The warlord moved first.
- His black armor didn't slow him down.
- His blade swung with terrifying speed.
- The air itself screamed as the runed steel came crashing down.
Ezra dodged.
Barely.
The blade tore through stone, splitting the ground where he had stood a moment before.
Ezra's instincts flared—this was no ordinary weapon.
[Analyzing Threat...]
- Weapon: Abyssfang (Cursed Executioner's Blade).
- Properties: Enhanced weight, anti-regeneration enchantments, mana-draining edge.
- Threat Level: High.
Ezra's grin widened. Good.
He lunged forward, claws slashing toward the warlord's throat—
CLANG!
The armored titan blocked with a gauntleted forearm, absorbing the blow with ease.
Then, with inhuman strength, he punched Ezra square in the chest.
BOOM!
Ezra flew back, crashing through a ruined wall.
For the first time in a long time, he felt... pain.
He grinned, licking the blood from his lips.
"This is gonna be fun."
---
Predator vs. Warlord
The warlord charged.
Ezra met him head-on.
- Claws vs. Blade.
- Speed vs. Power.
- Instinct vs. Technique.
Every strike was a clash of titans.
Ezra ducked under a horizontal slash, raking his claws across the warlord's side—
Sparks flew.
The armor absorbed most of the damage, but Ezra felt his nails dig into flesh.
The warlord grunted but didn't slow down.
Instead, he retaliated—a brutal knee to Ezra's ribs, followed by an upward slash meant to bisect him.
Ezra twisted mid-air, barely avoiding decapitation.
But the edge of the cursed blade bit into his side.
A deep gash.
Ezra hissed as his regeneration faltered.
[Warning: Abyssfang Negates Healing.]
The warlord chuckled. "Hurts, doesn't it?"
Ezra's eyes narrowed. That blade is a problem.
He had to end this quickly.
---
The Predator's Awakening
Ezra let his instincts take over.
The world slowed.
He could feel every shift in the warlord's stance, every twitch of his muscles before he attacked.
This was his advantage.
Ezra vanished.
One moment he was in front of the warlord—the next, he was behind him.
SLASH!
A deep, vicious wound tore through the warlord's back, exposing raw muscle.
The giant stumbled, eyes widening.
Ezra didn't give him time to recover.
He pounced, sinking his claws into the warlord's chest, pinning him against the broken stone wall.
The warlord growled, struggling, but Ezra's strength had grown.
He leaned in, whispering in his ear.
"You were strong. But I'm stronger."
Then, with a final feral strike, Ezra ripped out his heart.
---
[Predator's Feast: Devouring Strength...]
The moment the warlord's life faded, Ezra's body surged with power.
[Evolution Progress: 50%]
- Strength Increased.
- Speed Enhanced.
- New Trait Acquired: Abyssal Resilience (Partial resistance to anti-magic effects).
Ezra exhaled, feeling the power settle into his bones.
He glanced at the fallen Abyssfang blade.
Interesting. Even without its wielder, the weapon hummed with dark energy.
Perhaps it could still be useful.
Ezra reached down, gripping the hilt—
[WARNING: Cursed Weapon Detected.]
His fingers burned on contact. The sword resisted him.
Ezra grinned.
Then I'll make you submit.
---
Next Chapter Preview
Ezra's battle with the warlord ends in victory, but new dangers emerge:
Will he be able to tame Abyssfang, or will the cursed blade try to consume him?
Blackthorne won't take this loss lightly—who will they send next?
With his evolution nearing the halfway point, what changes will begin manifesting?
Ezra's path is only growing darker, and his next prey awaits.